Iranian authorities have executed two men over their alleged involvement in anti-government protests that began in late December and intensified in January amid economic hardship.

The judiciary’s Mizan Online website identified the men as Ali Hemmati and Majid Nik-Andish, saying they were convicted of participating in what authorities described as the “riots of January” in the northeastern city of Mashhad.

According to the judiciary, the unrest led to the deaths of four security personnel and caused extensive damage to public property.

Hemmati and Nik-Andish were also accused of setting fire to shops, banks and buses, as well as burning trees during the protests.

Mizan Online reported that the two men were hanged early Wednesday after Iran’s Supreme Court upheld their death sentences.

The protests initially began over rising living costs but later expanded into broader demonstrations against the Iranian government. The unrest reached its peak on January 8 and 9.

Iranian authorities put the death toll from the protests at more than 3,000 and blamed what they described as “terrorist acts” orchestrated by the United States and Israel. Foreign-based non-governmental organisations, however, have said Iranian security forces opened fire on protesters.

At the time, US President Donald Trump threatened possible military intervention in Iran. The United States and Israel later launched a joint attack on Iran on February 28, triggering a wider conflict in the Middle East.

Iran has since carried out further arrests and executions linked to both the conflict and the protests earlier in the year.

Iran Human Rights and Together Against the Death Penalty said Iran executed at least 1,639 people in 2025, describing the figure as the country’s highest since 1989.

Amnesty International has also identified Iran as the country with the second-highest number of executions globally, after China.